21st-Century John C. Hitt Library Expansion Second Entrance to Open in One Year

The John C. Hitt Library 21st-Century expansion project phase one is estimated to open in early 2020, the University of Central Florida said.

in 2018, UCF completed construction of its four-story Automated Retrieval Center (ARC) which can accommodate 1.25 million print volumes and will house 300,000 of the most used and current books to allow for easier access for students throughout the year. Wait times for these books have been approximated to be between 5-10 minutes from the ARC to the circulation desk.

The sleek second entrance to the library, closer to the Student Union and across from the John T. Washington Center, features a glass facade and set of stairs similar to the steps of the Recreation and Wellness Center.

“This phase is currently under construction and work on the steel structure of the ‘connector’ building is well underway,” a UCF spokesperson said. “[I]t will connect the library building with the Automated Retrieval Center. This phase includes new library instruction classrooms, a multipurpose room, a new space for Special Collections, and a wonderful reading room at the top of the Automated Retrieval Center, as well as the new entrance.”

UCF said books continue to be loaded into the Automated Retrieval Center and if a book cannot be found on the shelf to place a request for the item in the UCF Catalog.

A comprehensive list of the additions and renovations offered by the 21st Century Library has been assembled by the UCF News & Information Office:

New 24-hour zone with seating and group study rooms

Open-access stacks with the capacity to hold more than 300,000 volumes

An automated-retrieval center capable of holding 1.25 million items

A new north entry with access from both Pegasus Circle to the North and the Computer Center to the East

3,264 seats in varied types for individual and group study

Modernized building systems for the 1967 and 1984 structures

New and upgraded elevators and accessible restrooms

Expanded special collections area with opportunities for exhibition

Improved functional arrangement and layout of collections, with views to the North, East, and West

An area for graduate students with space for individual and collaborative research, study, and writing